I feel that I’ve spent the least amount of time in Brussels, it being 17 hours. Yes, I’ve spent 17 hours in a city and I honestly felt like I’ve seen all there is to it. It’s called time management lol. I arrived in Brussels, as a stop over by train leaving London and heading into Amsterdam. I was staying in a central location at the Hilton which was roughly 3 miles from the Dam Square. The main thing to see in Brussels is the Grand Place. It’s a beautiful square that is surrounded by buildings, restaurants and souvenir shops. On the way there, are rows of stunning baroque homes and restaurants. My favorite part is that there are hidden hotels in these buildings, but they are not your typical high rises.

We decided to stay in the DoubleTree Hilton which is connected to the train station which makes it easier for a quick stop over city. You can explore the city, freshen up a bit and then sleep before heading out to your next stop. Brussels isn’t your typical European city however; it does deliver in the architecture. One thing I will say about Brussels is that it does offer a lot of charm. We spent our time getting lost in the alleyways along the Grand Place, entering several shops, grabbing a Belgian beer and having waffles smothered in Belgian chocolate.

There’s definitely a lot more to see in Brussels, however when you’re there for a quick minute instead of long periods of time it’s hard to see it all. Even though I felt like I’ve seen most of it. If I ever head back to Belgium I would like to visit the other cities that are about 1 hour away from Brussels.

Brussels, is a quick visit that has a lot to offer. Between food, culture and architecture it’s a great place to either spend a few days and visit the surrounding cities or just make a quick visit and stay in the city.

This post will transport you straight to London-town. The very famous city right across the pond. I’ve been to London several times, usually it’s at the beginning of my Euro trip. One of the reasons being, it’s a 6-hour flight from the east coast. Whenever someone is traveling abroad for the first time, or dipping their toe into solo- travel I always suggest London, because they speak English there, it’s a big city so coming from a big city it provides a sort of comfort, and lastly, it feels as if you haven’t really left your comforts of home while essentially being on an other continent.

Now comes the important part, you’ve made it to London but where do you stay? I’ve stayed in many different neighborhoods of London, I’ve stayed in West Minster, Kensington, and near the Tower bridge. Honestly, I’d recommend either area; If you decide to stay in West Minister, you are walking distance from Hyde Park, near Notting Hill an about 10 mins from all the main attractions. Kensington is also walking distance from Hyde Park and will lead you straight through to Kensington Gardens, which as you might recall resides the Prince and Princess. However, my favorite place to stay in London is near the Tower bridge (particularly the DoubleTree by Hilton Tower Bridge) which please don’t confuse it with the London Bridge.

Main reason why I prefer staying by the Tower Bridge especially if it’s your first-time visiting London, if you get lucky and have the view facing the bridge at night it is absolutely breathtaking. From your window, you can see the Tower Bridge, Thames river and the Bloody Tower all from the comfort of your room. Another plus is directly across the street from your hotel is the entrance to the tube. Also, walking around towards the back of the hotel you’re able to cross the Tower Bridge and there you have your first stop on your London trip checked. Next, I suggest you head to the Bloody Tower, where they house the queen’s jewels and it’s just a beautiful place to spend a couple of hours. Small anecdote: who remembers the movie called: “The Other Boleyn Girl?” well legend has it that Anne Hathaway’s character wanders around the castle at night with holding her head in her arms haunting the Bloody Tower.

Best thing to do in London, buy the double decker hop-on/hop-off pass, you’ll thank me later. The double decker bus makes each one of these stops.

Stops you need to make while in London:

· Tower Bridge

· Bloody Tower

· Hyde Park

· Big Ben

· London Eye

· West Minster Abbey

· Kensington Gardens

· Piccadilly Square

· Buckingham Palace

· Stop at every pub and have a pint with your fish and chip’s

Here’s a tip, West Minster Abbey is absolutely beautiful paying the donation fee to walk in and look around is absolutely worth it. However, if you are lucky enough to arrive as a mass is in session you can walk in for free and attend a mass which was so special. As I mentioned before London, if done quickly could be done in 1 or 2 days. However, there are surrounding citizens that are also worth the day trip. The city of Berkshire, which is where Windsor Castle is located is my top choice for a day trip. It has become famous in the recent years because of Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding, if that rings a bell. The city of Berkshire is the quintessential England town. Lining the streets are pubs, and small shops and at the center of it all is Windsor Castle. A little backstory on this beautiful castle before we move on: It’s the largest and oldest castle in the world, it is the residence to the Queen, today over 500 people live there to maintain it as a tourist attraction and as a functioning royal home.

The other popular day trip from London is Stonehenge. Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous pre-historic sites. There are many different conspiracy theories on how Stonehenge came about. Regardless, it is a very cool site to see and a part of history that should be witnessed. I have not had the time to visit Stonehenge however it is on my list when I visit London again.

London is one of my favorite cities to visit because it is so easy to get around. The fact that there is no language barrier is a plus, it’s a short flight across the pond and it’s always so much fun to get lost in a new big city with so much history and so many attractions.